The Shadow
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 These words are written across the top of the GoldStars Families Memorial Wall that visits local communities paying tribute to the 7,200 veterans who fought and died for their country during the Afghanistan War, Gulf War and Iraq War. There is no public breakdown of the 7,200 names on the GoldStars Tribute Wall, as this information is kept private to protect the families of the deceased.
Each gold star on the wall represents the name and military branch of each fallen soldier but detailed personal information is not included.
The Goldstars Tribute Wall was created by Marine Corps veteran Sam Nicoara, who wanted to honor those lost in more recent conflicts without waiting for an official government memorial. The mission of the tribute wall is to honor the sacrifices of the service members and provide a place for their families to remember them. It is very gratifying to the families to see that their loved ones are being honored by the name and service branch on a star on the wall.
“Freedom is not free – it comes at at incredible cost. Since our founding, millions of brave Americans have gone into harm’s way so that I could enjoy the blessings of peace and prosperity and freedom.
Called on by their country, acting out of patriotism and in the most dangerous of circumstances, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have demonstrated extraordinary courage in defending our country and the principles of democracy that we hold dear. They left behind their families, their
friends, and their hopes and dreams – some never to return home to them ever again” These words by Samuel Mac Nicoara, President/Founder of Tribute to America’s Fallen Foundation, are part of the GoldStars Tribute Wall brochure.
The memorial is funded by private contributions and is supported by the Tribute to America’s Fallen Foundation, Inc. You can contact the GoldStarsWall@Gmail.com if you would like additional information about this project.
Members of VFW Post 1033 Auxiliary recently visited the GoldStars Memorial Wall in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was a humbling experience to see all the stars filling the wall with soldiers names and military branches. We would like to do a Wall of Valor at the Covington Post Office to honor some of
the veterans, past and present, from Afghanistan, Iraq and the Gulf. If you have a loved one or friend who would be interested in helping us put this together, please reach out to Marian Paxton at 843-653- 6098 or email at marianpaxton@gmail.com. Thank you to all the veterans who continue to fight for our country and our freedom.
